Pirates of the Caribbean: The Princess and the Pirate
by VioletRose13
Summary: Kimberley is a young princess and the unknown niece of King George. Rafael is a sneaky young buccaneer on the prowl for excitement. Fate had brought them together for an epic adventure on the Sea of action, thrill, and romance… but will they survive?
1. Introduction

This is the story of a girl named Princess Kimberley Henrietta Augustus, but she prefers to just be called Kimberley. She lives with her uncle, King George Augustus; her father was his younger brother, but he passed away about five years after her mother who died shortly after child birth. So her uncle took little Kimberley in, but he hardly ever talked to her or even _looked_ at her for that matter. In fact, she lived in the high middle tower of the castle and she stayed in her bedroom all the time all by herself. Servants bring her meals every day and every night and her only company were the toys and books from her childhood.

Before Kimberley's father died, he told her that one day when the time was right she would meet her true love, he would come to her rescue, and they would live happily ever after. She believed every word he said and she patiently waited for her supposed true love as she sat on her balcony overlooking the castle courtyard.

Years passed and her true love never came. Until a chance encounter with a young scallywag changed everything.


	2. First Meeting

When Kimberley was about eleven or twelve years old, she was quietly reading a book and sitting up in bed one evening when she heard a commotion going on outside. With her curiosity kicking in, she quietly got out of bed, went over to her balcony, and saw a jail wagon pull into the middle of the courtyard; the entire royal guard marched out and trained the guns and swords on the back of the wagon. Then she saw a young boy with cuffs around his wrists come out of the back of the wagon and something in his face told me he knew that he was in big trouble.

He was dressed in baggy old rags that looked far too big for him; he had a dirty white poet's shirt on under a dark blue vest and a pair of baggy matching blue breeches and worn black boots on his feet, a small leather belt and scarf were tied around his thin waist and his messy dark hair was rather long and tied into a short ponytail with a black handkerchief.

The young princess observed intently as a guard grabbed the chains of the boy's shackles and dragged him into the castle. She shrugged and went back to bed with her book; she was reading the story of The Frog Prince. She lay on her canopy bed and flipped through the pages for a good few minutes until she started nodding off and eventually, she fell asleep.

Suddenly, Kimberley's eyes shot opened when she heard someone running up the hallway to her room.

'What was that?' She thought as she sat up and lit a candle.

She went to the door and peeked out through the keyhole, but she couldn't see anything; it was as if someone was pressing their body against the door. And with one sniff, Kimberley could tell right away that this person hadn't had a bath in who knows how long. She set her candlestick down, quietly opened the door, and was surprised to see the stranger from earlier that night fall through landing flat on his back right at her feet. After he scrambled to his feet, Kimberley quickly shut the door and peeked through the keyhole again. The guards rushed by and she breathed a sigh of relief; thank goodness they didn't know he was in here. Just as she stood straight, the princess felt the blade of a knife rest against my throat; she froze and held her breath.

"I saw you watching me from the balcony. Who are you?" An unfamiliar voice whispered in her ear.

She cleared my throat.

"I believe it is appropriate for the gentleman to introduce himself before the lady. Wouldn't you agree?" She answered in a calm tone.

He paused before he took the knife away and slipped it back into his belt.

"No, I don't agree. Ladies first, I insist." He said sarcastically.

She rolled her eyes, turned around to look at the stranger, and curtsied. "I am Princess Kimberley Henrietta Augustus."

A moment of silence.

"…That name is too long. I'm just gonna call you Kimmy for short, savvy?"

She was about to protest when she paused and thought about it; 'Kimmy' did have a nice ring to it once she heard it in her head a few times.

"Alright, Kimmy it is." She said before she got a better look at the boy.

He looked to be about the same age as her and he was surprisingly good looking; he had big dark eyes and fair skin with the exception of the bridge of his nose and his cheeks, which were pretty pink (most likely from being out in the sun for too long). They stared at each other for a minute or two before the boy awkwardly cleared his throat and said,

"Oh, sorry. I… didn't mean to disturb anyone. My name is Rafael."

"…Nice to meet you."

The boy, now dubbed Rafael, then started to circle the young girl inspecting her curiously.

"Are you a royal as well?" Kimberley asked.

'Perhaps he's a prince.'

He stopped circling her and looked at her.

"No." He answered, shaking his head.

"Then, are you a merchant's son?"

"No. As a matter of fact, I'm a pirate. Well, a pirate in training." He sounded proud.

"Training? You're a pirate apprentice?"

"Of a sort."

"I've never met a real pirate before."

"Really? I'll take that as a compliment."

"…Do you play checkers?"

He smiled and took a seat across from me at the table near the balcony.

"Red or black?" She asked.

They sat at the table and played for a while as Kimberley told Rafael all about her life and her few interests; she was winning the game the entire time.

"You're quite good at this." Rafael admitted.

"Thank you. It's quite fun having to play with someone besides your porcelain dolls." She said.

He started looking around the room.

"Wow. This place is pretty big." He said.

"Yes, and it's all mine." I replied.

"You're lucky you don't have to share a room with a sibling."

"You have siblings?"

"Just one; my twin sister. We live with our mother and we share a room. The house is pretty tiny and we don't have much."

"Oh, I'm so sorry."

"No, it's alright, Kimmy. It ain't your fault."

"I win again."

He groaned; she chuckled and smirked. She then went to the bookshelf, took out one of the many fairy tale books she had, and held it out to him.

"If you want to know what it's like, take it." She said.

He hesitantly took the book. "It's heavy."

Kimberley laughed. "Yes, well when you're a shut-in like me, light reading just doesn't cut it."

He chuckled and stared into her green eyes; she stared into his brown eyes. After a few seconds of silence, Rafael looked away and cleared his throat.

"Well I had fun, but I need to head to the docks, so I best be on me way." He said.

"Must you go so soon?" She asked.

"I'm afraid so." He replied.

"When can I see you again?"

"Well… I don't think I'm not leaving for a while…"

"Come to the ball. It's tomorrow night."

"A ball? Tomorrow? No offense, Kimmy, but those sorts of… _gatherings_ aren't really my thing. And what if people recognize me?"

She tapped the cover of the book she just gave him. "Read the story of Cinderella and I'll take care of the rest."

"Hmmmm… Oh well, easier than what I'm accustomed to." He shrugged as he made his way to the balcony and stuffed the book into his belt.

"How are you going to get out of here?" I asked.

He smirked. "I'll just improvise. Maybe climb down the tower?"

"Are you _sure_ you haven't read Rapunzel?" She raised an eyebrow and smirked.

Rafael chuckled again as he opened the doors and walked out onto the balcony. He grabbed the railing with both hands and climb over to the other side, then his fingers slipped and he fell. She gasped and ran over to the balcony to see if he was okay and to my surprise, he was perfectly fine. He was holding onto one of the velvet banners above the door.

"I hope you return." She whispered. "And be careful on your way out!"

"Don't fret, princess. I'll come back tomorrow evening. I promise." Rafael said as he made his way to the other side of the banner.

He made waved goodbye before he ran out of sight; Kimberley did the same to him and smiled as she closed the balcony doors.


	3. The Ball

It took her the rest of the night and most of the next day, but an hour before the ball started the next day, Kimberley finally finished. But when she was about to put it away, she heard a small tap on the glass door. She ran to the balcony and saw Rafael standing on the balcony; she smiled as she let him in without hesitation. He closed the glass doors behind him and took a breath.

"Not too bad, eh?" He asked slyly.

"Not bad at all." Kimberley replied.

They laughed before they heard a knock at the door; it must've been one of the maids. Thinking fast, Kimberley pushed Rafael into the closet and shut the doors just before the maid went in.

"Are you alright, Your Highness?" She asked.

"Uh, yes, Mildred. Of course I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be fine?" She quickly said.

"Because I thought I heard another voice in here. Is there an intruder?"

"Oh, that! Um… there's nobody else here; no intruder. I was just talking to… myself, that's all. It's a nervous habit."

"Well… alright then, Your Grace. Do you need any assistance getting into your gown?"

"Uh, yes. Thank you. But please make it quick."

"As you wish."

Mildred soon led the little princess to another corner of the bedroom to help me into her dress. Kimberley could tell Rafael was trying to sneak a peek, but she didn't want him to get caught so she gave him a glare that screamed, 'DON'T LOOK!' He must've obeyed because she didn't hear him make a peep for a good few minutes. When that few minutes were up, she was finally ready for the ball. Mildred left the young princess alone and the second she was out the door and out of earshot, Kimberley let the boy out of her closet.

"What do you think?" She asked, modeling her dress.

Rafael stood up and looked at her with wide eyes; his mouth even fell open. Kimberley's dress was emerald green and royal blue with golden accents and tiny hints of golden yellow sewn into the hem of the skirt and the cuffs of the sleeves; it was meant to resemble a peacock, the monarch of all birds as the people of the upper crust call them.

"You look… _amazing_." He said, awestruck.

"Why thank you." She said, smiling.

"Now, what about me?"

"Don't worry; I have this already planned out." Kimberley went to her desk and pulled the outfit she had made out of the drawer.

"What's that?"

" _Your_ outfit for the ball. I made it myself… even though I didn't get your measurements… and I had no idea how to sew. But in the end, I decided to just take a wild guess and I think it turned out rather well."

"Are you sure that'll fit?" He asked

I groaned. "Do you want to try this on or what?"

"Why not?" Rafael took the outfit out of her hands.

He made his way back to the closet to change and Kimberley kept her back towards it so she wouldn't look. After a few minutes, she heard her friend's voice say,

"Alright, I'm coming out. But ye have to promise not to laugh."

"Why would I laugh?" I asked.

She turned around and saw Rafael in his new outfit. Kimberley was very surprised; she hadn't expected this boy to look _this_ good, but she was wrong. Rafael's coat was garnet red with deep golden cuffs, his shirt was clean and white and he had a black vest with golden buttons, he had dark red gloves on his hands to cover up his scarred filthy fingers, his trousers were a very dark gray, almost completely black, and his shoes were knee-high boots made of shiny black leather that looked as if they were just polished. The moment she saw him, she felt her jaw drop to the floor.

"How do I look?" Rafael asked nervously.

"You look… great _and_ unrecognizable." Kimberley said.

"Really? Well, that's good. But what about me hair and face?"

"Just wear a mask. It _is_ a masquerade ball."

"You didn't mention that."

"Don't worry. I already had a mask made for you _and_ myself. Here, let me get it."

She then took two masks out of the desk drawer, walked towards her friend, went behind him, and tied his mask onto his face. His mask was just a plain black eye mask made from some spare leather. She took a few steps back to get a better look; now he was _totally_ unrecognizable, she almost couldn't tell it was him.

"Perfect."

"Alright. I just have a few questions before we do anything. We're not going to need any pumpkins or rodents, are we? Or any glass shoes? As you can see, you and I already _have_ shoes. And we don't have to leave by midnight, do we?"

"I see you've done your homework. No, we don't need any animals, vegetables, or footwear made of glass and none of this stuff wears off at the stroke of twelve. Can you help me with my mask?"

Rafael nodded and walked over to her as Kimberley held up her mask. It was golden with peacock feathers on both upper parts of it to make me look like a peacock. He took both strings and tied the mask tightly around her head. She turned back around and looked into Rafael's eyes, he looked into hers; they knew that they were ready to go. By the time they were finished, Kimberley could hear guests arriving from outside. She looked out of the balcony and saw carriages of all sizes pulling into the courtyard through the open doors; the ball was about to begin. Rafael cleared his throat.

"Shall we?" He offered her his left arm.

"We shall." She took his arm.

She opened the door and they made our way down the hall and towards the ballroom. They stopped as we neared the staircase; from their view, guests of all sorts were already arriving. The women wore fancy, stunning dresses and extravagant looking masks to match while the gentlemen were wearing dapper suits as well as simple masks to hide their true identities. Then Rafael and Kimberley heard a fanfare; it was the Grand Duke. He made his way to the center of the grand staircase, cleared his throat, another fanfare sounded, and the guests all directed their attention to him.

"My lords and ladies, I am ever so pleased to welcome you all to this masquerade planned by your beloved King George Augustus. And now that everyone has arrived, let this masquerade ball begin!" He declared.

The guests applauded and lined themselves up on either side of the ballroom, gentlemen on one side of the room, ladies on the other. The huge double doors at the opposite end of the room opened and King George walked in. He wasn't wearing a mask, but no one seemed to care as they all bowed before him. He walked across the ballroom straight to his throne and sat down. Everyone stood straight again.

'Wow. Uncle George has gotten _old_ since I last saw him.' Kimberley thought with wide eyes.

"So, _that's_ your uncle?" Rafael asked.

"Yes and shush. Someone might hear us."

That was when the guests began to dance, a wonderful, haunting waltz, being played by the orchestra on the other side of the room. The men took the women into their embraces and the couples twirled and spun across the marble floor in perfect synchronization. The ladies' beautiful dresses seemed to bring more vibrant color to the walls and floor and the handsome smiles of the gentlemen brightened the room.

'So this is what a party looks like.' She thought. 'It's much warmer than I thought it would be.'

"Why don't we join them?" Rafael whispered, taking Kimberley's hand and leading her towards the stairs.

"Are you sure? I've never danced before."

"Neither have I. But there's a first time for everything, savvy?"

Rafael calmly led his friend down the stairs and towards the center of the ballroom, so not to make a scene; as they walked, the guests took notice of them and they politely moved away to give us some space to walk. Kimberley and Rafael stopped in the middle of the floor; they looked each other in the eyes again as he placed his gloved hand on her hip.

"Are you absolutely certain you know what you're doing?" Kimberley quietly asked.

"Kimmy, look at me. Have I ever given you a reason to _not_ trust me?" Rafael asked.

"Well… no."

"Then don't worry."

She gulped as he made a gesture with his free hand to tell the orchestra to start playing. The orchestra did as they were told and the two pre-teens began to dance. Kimberley kept a narrow eye on the other guests, but Rafael kept on telling her to focus on him and only him. She did as he said and for some reason, that made her calm down. Our slow awkward movements began to escalate into a quick fun waltz.

"Rafael, everyone is looking at us." She whispered.

"Really?" He chuckled. "I completely forgot there was anyone else here."

Kimberley quietly giggled at his comment. Over the music, the guests were whispering things about her and Rafael like,

"Who is that young lady?" "I don't know." "Is she a princess?" "She must be. Look at her gown." "She's beautiful." "Wherever did they come from?" "Who are those two?" "Who is that girl dancing with?" "I have no idea." "He's rather attractive, isn't he?" "Is he some kind of royal?" "Perhaps he's a prince." "Or a king?" "Is he married?" "Who knows?"

She didn't pay attention to their comments; she kept her focus on Rafael's face and that alone. She felt happy as she gazed into his charming brown eyes.

As the dance ended, they bowed to each other and everyone in the entire ballroom applauded for us, even the King who literally had no idea who she was. They smiled as they stood straight; Kimberley couldn't believe what just happened. She had her Cinderella moment and it wasn't with any clichéd Prince Charming; it was with a _pirate_ of all things. But she didn't care, she was having fun with somebody she was comfortable with and that was all that really to her. Rafael led her away from the dance floor as the other guests went to the center to continue their own dancing. They smiled excitedly when no one was looking.

"Did you see that?!" Kimberley asked. "No one thought of you as a pirate!"

"I know!" Rafael said. "And we danced for the first time without either of us slipping on our shoes or stepping on each other's feet."

They laughed before Kimberley had an idea.

"Come with me. I want to show you something very special; something even my uncle doesn't know about."

She took Rafael's hand and dragged him out of the ballroom. Kimberley led him out into the castle gardens and into a secret spot only she knew about. There was a big willow tree with a tiny swing hanging on one of the branches and a little pond filled with a koi fish or two. I could tell that Rafael couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"You like my secret garden?" She asked.

" _Your_ secret garden?" He asked. "I thought you spent all your time locked up in your room."

"I usually do, but sometimes when I need some fresh air, the servants would take me out here. I sometimes like to draw in the dirt and read to a few of my dolls, sometimes I would even swing on that swing so high up that my feet would reach the sky."

Rafael walked to the swing and politely presented it to her.

"Your Highness?" He asked, bowing low and offering his hand to me.

Kimberley playfully curtsied and smiled at him.

"Why thank you." She giggled as she walked to the swing, took his hand, and gently sat down.

Rafael got behind her and gently pushed the swing. They looked up at the sky; the moon was full, the stars were out, and there were no clouds; this was the perfect night.

"Stunning, isn't it?"

"Indeed it is."

Rafael came around to the other side of the swing to look at Kimberley and she felt different as she looked into his eyes through the mask. She felt comfort, happiness… joy, something she hadn't felt in several years. That was when she heard the clock tower chime; it was five minutes to midnight and she chuckled.

"What's so funny?" Rafael asked.

"Look. Almost midnight." Kimberley answered, pointing at the clock tower.

"I can see that." He laughed; she laughed along with him.

But then, she heard a voice say, "I know you're in there, young man. And I know the _Princess Kimberley_ is in there with you."

The pair froze as the door to the garden flew open. There standing in the doorway with a smug, evil look on his face was the head of the Royal Guard, Charles Aaron, with a few guards standing on either side of him with guns in their hands.

"There you are, Your Grace." He said. "You're coming with us, you little scoundrel. You're going to be held on trial for seducing and kidnapping the young princess first thing in the morning."

"Don't worry, Kimmy. I know how to handle this." Rafael whispered to her as they stood up. "RUN FOR IT!"

He grabbed her hand and like a shot, they both bolted out of the door, past the guards, and back towards the castle.

"Get them! Don't let them get away!" Aaron commanded.

Rafael and Kimberley ran through the rest of the castle gardens with Aaron and the guards hot on their tail even when we were finally inside the castle ballroom. The couples were still dancing and they ran through the crowds of masked people, desperately trying to reach the doors on the other end of the room. They ran through the halls towards the main staircase until Kimberley let go of her friend's hand and stopped running.

"Rafael!" I shouted. "Go on without me!"

"What? No! I can't just leave you here." Rafael said. "I might never see you again."

"I'll be fine. I promise."

Rafael's face suddenly lit up, he had an idea. He reached into his coat pocket, took out a small box, and shoved it into Kimberley's hands.

"Take this; it'll help you."

"Why? What's so special about it?"

She was about to open the box to see what was inside, but he quickly stopped her.

"No! Don't open it yet, Kimmy. You can't open it until you really need it. Understand?"

He held her hands; she paused before nodding her head.

"Understood."

"I think they went this way, sir!" A guard shouted.

They looked to see the shadows of Aaron and more guards coming towards them. As Rafael ran down the stairs, Kimberley got an idea. She ran down the stairs faster than Rafael and she stopped at a nearby coach. She opened the door and he quickly jumped inside, then she shut the door, went to the driver's seat on top of the coach, took off one of her gold and diamond encrusted bracelets, and gave it to the driver.

"Take this boy to the docks as quickly as you can! Now!" She commanded.

"Yes, Your Highness!" The driver said before he drove off.

Kimberley waved goodbye to Rafael as the coach drove out of the castle courtyard and through the gates. She hid the box in the skirt of her dress as the guards came rushing down the stairs. They all raised their guns to fire at the coach, but she stopped them.

"No, don't shoot! He's out of range! You're too late." She lied.

"No, it _isn't_ too late! Gents, keep your guns on him!" Aaron demanded.

"I said NO!" Kimberley shrieked through gritted teeth as she violently grabbed the collar of Aaron's shirt. "Commander Charles Aaron, do you _want_ me to sentence you to a hanging at the stroke of sunrise tomorrow morning? Because I will if you go against my wishes."

He angrily sneered and growled at the girl before him, and then he composed himself as she slowly let go of his collar.

"Very well, Your Highness." He said to her in the calmest tone he could muster. "Never mind, men. Go back to your stations. We must do as the princess says."

As soon as the guards and Aaron were gone, Kimberley stared at the gates leading out of the courtyard for a minute before going back up the stairs and into the castle. She went back to her bedroom, shut the door, took off her mask, and sat on the stone floor of her balcony, thinking about the young mysterious stranger who rolled into the courtyard the day before; she remembered that day exactly as if it happened just now. She felt like crying; she missed Rafael, she knew it was only about a few minutes ago but it felt like an eternity. But then she remembered what he told her before he left. She took out the box he gave her as the clock was finally striking midnight; she realized that the box itself seemed to be made of seashells. It was beautiful… which made her wonder where Rafael had found it.


	4. Years Later

Many years went by, and Kimberley had grown into a fine young woman; however, she still lived in her bedroom and was hardly ever seen. Ever since the ball, she had waited and waited for Rafael, hoping he would return and come to her rescue… but he never came. In fact, she never saw him again after that night. All she had to remember him by was the oversized boots and the belt he left behind… and the box made of seashells along with the strict instructions to not open it until she really needed to.

One night, the princess couldn't sleep. She sat at her balcony in her dressing gown and silken slippers, looking at the castle gates; she had the small chest in her hands. She sighed before she heard a knock at her door.

"Come in." Kimberley said, hiding the box in her nightdress.

The door opened and a young man in fancy clothing entered; he seemed to be carrying a couple of books.

"Good evening, Your Highness. I see you're still awake." He said as he closed the door behind him.

"Hello, Isaac." Kimberley flatly replied, not turning her gaze away. "Did you bring them?"

"I did." Isaac said, setting the books down on the bed; they were books all about legends, myths, and tales from the Seven Seas. "But I still don't understand what you need them for."

"I've already told you a dozen times, I _can't_ tell you." The princess sighed in frustration. "It's nothing personal, but if my uncle finds out what I'm doing, then… let's just say that I'll be in _more_ trouble than the prisoners in the dungeon sentenced to death."

"…Are you sure you don't need my help, Princess?"

"I'm twenty years old now; I can read just fine. AND I can handle things on my own, thank you very much. And for the thirteenth time, it's _Kimmy_."

"Then, I'll let you get to… whatever it is you're doing."

"Thank you."

And with that, Isaac nodded his head, briskly walked out of the room, and closed the door behind him without saying another word, leaving Kimberley alone once again. After a moment or two, she picked up one of the books and began to read as she took a seat on her bed, hoping to find some kind of information about this little seashell chest. Book after book was thrown in disarray, her hope slowly vanishing as the minutes ticked on. Finally after countless hours of fruitless research, the princess felt so exhausted that she had collapsed onto her bed and fallen asleep.

0-0-0-0-0-0

 _ **Kimberley was in a place that was nothing but black all around her. When her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she realized that she was in a cell, like one you'd see in the brig on a ship. No, she wasn't IN the cell… outside the cell.**_

' _ **How in the world did I get here…?' She asked herself.**_

 _ **In the darkness, she could make out a strange figure crouched in the far corner of the cell. An oil lamp suddenly flickered to life, bringing a small source of light to the room. Kimberley gasped and a chill ran up her spine; the moment the room was lit, she saw the face of someone she hadn't seen in years… Rafael. His hair was longer and dirtier and his clothes seemed to fit him and she could just make out a scar from the top of his right cheek bone down to his chin. Kimberley's eyes suddenly widened in horror; she saw across Rafael's face and body as well as many scrapes on his arms and stains of blood on his shirt. She could even hear some faint whimpers and sobs coming from the tattered creature; he was in pain.**_

 _ **Her breath quickening, Kimberley cried out his name, but no sound came out of mouth. She tried again, but to no avail; she couldn't speak. How could this be? What was going on? As she looked around the room, she noticed large shadows on the walls and heavy footsteps stomping down on the wood of the floor; they were coming closer.**_

" _ **Ready to tell us now?" A menacing voice called out; it was most likely the owner of the shadow and thundering footsteps.**_

 _ **Giving another silent cry of the name of the boy she met so long ago, she shook the cage bars with all her might, trying to open it but it was all in vain. She noiselessly screamed at the battered prisoner, trying to get him to notice her. But no matter what she tried, Rafael couldn't perceive her. Pleading, crying, the princess reached out to grasp the young man, to embrace the only one she knew.**_

 _ **Her hands closed around thin air. Kimberley gave a loud, heart-wrenching wail; she could hear her cries now. They echoed around the now cavernous room, bouncing back to hit her ears. Before she knew it, the world around her vanished and began to transform into water as black as ink. The stench of the water was sterile, almost chemical; it made her gag in disgust. The black water rapidly rose up to her neck, threatening to engulf her.**_

" _ **Find Jack Sparrow!" An unfamiliar voice yelled into her ears.**_

0-0-0-0-0-0

Kimberley woke up with a start; she sat up and looked around. She sighed in relief when she realized she was back in her bed chamber, no trace of black water anywhere. But then she remembered her dream; she recalled seeing Rafael, battered and beaten and imprisoned. He was alone, scared, and hurt and she didn't know why; it terrified her.

"I need to find him." She said to herself before noticing a stray piece of parchment by the door.

She went over to it, picked it up, and saw it was a Wanted poster… for a man named Jack Sparrow.

'Jack Sparrow, Jack Sparrow…' she thought, remembering the voice form her dream. 'Maybe _he_ can help!'


	5. The Princess's Choice

Kimberley decided to go down to the castle dungeons and ask the inmates to see if they knew anything on Jack Sparrow. That very night with the Wanted poster in hand, she snuck out of her bedroom and went through the halls, heading in the direction of the dungeon. She had to hide herself from the guards on duty a few times, but she eventually made it. Kimberley searched high and low for any information on Jack Sparrow, but she had no luck. All of the inmates either rudely told her to go away or even tried to grab her.

After hours and hours, Kimberley's escapade for information proved fruitless and she feared all hope was lost… until she came across one last cell. In that cell was an old man singing to himself. Burning with curiosity, she went up to him.

"Excuse me?" She quietly asked.

The man turned around to see the young princess standing on the other side of the cell bars. His face lit up.

"Hello there, young lady." He said politely.

"Pardon me, sir. I don't mean to intrude. I was just hoping… you could help me with something." Kimberley reluctantly said.

"Well, that all depends on who I'm talking to." The man said as he drew closer to her. "And I'm sure you'll want to know who I am."

She nodded.

"Folks call me Jack."

"Jack? As in Jack Sparrow?"

"Jack Sparrow? Oh, no, no, no. You mean my nephew."

"Your _nephew_?!"

"That's right. Now, care to tell me _your_ name, little missy?"

"Oh, yes, of course. My name is Kimberley and I came down here because I wish to find Jack Sparrow. Please, I need his help. I have reasons to believe that an old friend of mine might be in grave danger and I have no idea where he might be."

"What is this friend's name?"

"His name is Rafael."

"Hmmm, name doesn't ring a bell. But I _do_ know a thing or two about Jack Sparrow, if you wish to know them."

"I'm listening."

Kimberley sat down on the cold stone floor and crossed her legs before Uncle Jack began his tales. He told the princess of Jack Sparrow's many adventures and expeditions and of all the people he's met over the years, including William Turner and Elizabeth Swann. Kimberley intently listened to every word of the old man's stories and shanties; she had absolutely no idea this Jack Sparrow was such a famous buccaneer and she couldn't stop listening.

"And as far as I know, my nephew is sailing the seas on his beloved Black Pearl even as we speak." Uncle Jack concluded.

"Wow…" The princess said, astonished. "Is he really still out there?"

"Yes. And if you can convince him to help you, I'm sure he would."

"You really think so?"

"I do. Is there anything else you need?"

Kimberley paused before giving Uncle Jack a smile. "No, I suppose not. Thank you so very much, for everything."

"You're very welcome, Miss Kimberley. Oh! Have I told you the one about the skeleton?"

"…No, I don't believe so."

"Alright. A skeleton goes into a bar and orders a beer and a mop."

Kimberley furrowed her brow and scrunched her nose, trying to think of what that meant. Then she put two and two together and she suddenly burst out laughing.

"That's a good one." She giggled. "Oh! I think I have one for you."

"Let me hear it."

"Did you hear about the sailor who had his left arm and left leg cut off?"

"No, I don't think so."

"That's okay, he's all RIGHT now."

Uncle Jack paused before he finally got the joke. He let out a hardy laugh as Kimberley stood up and brushed the skirt of her nightdress with her hands. But then he looked at the girl again, only he had a rather serious expression on his face.

"I must warn ye, little missy." He said in a grim tone. "The Sea can be very dangerous and piracy is a difficult occupation to uphold, if you decide to go down that path. But if life on the Seven Seas is what you want, then follow your heart. And be safe."

She slowly nodded. Suddenly, Kimberley heard footsteps approaching; guards were coming and she had to get out of there or she'd be in a lot of trouble. She turned back to Uncle Jack.

"Thank you, sir." She said before walking away as quickly as she could.

"Oh! One more thing, little miss." Uncle Jack said. "If you do go out and see Jack, tell him his uncle says 'hello'."

She smiled at him before disappearing down the corridor just as a pair of guards stopped at Uncle Jack's cell.

"Who were you talking to, pirate?" One guard asked.

"…No one." Uncle Jack lied.

Kimberley made it back to her room, breathing heavily. She sat on her bed in silence and contemplated everything Uncle Jack had just told her; she looked down at the seashell chest sitting in her lap. She looked at the mirror in the opposite corner of the room; she set the chest down, got up, and went towards it with a scrap of purple fabric clutched in her hand. Kimberley stared at her reflection before letting her hair down and tying the piece of cloth around her head; she looked so different. She furrowed her brow and sneered; if she wanted to see Rafael again, she knew what she had to do.

The next morning, Mildred the maid knocked on the bedroom door. She knocked a few times before the door cracked open. Mildred peeked inside.

"Your Highness? Are you awake?" She asked before going over to the bed.

She removed the covers and gasped, dropping the tray of food as she did do. Princess Kimberley wasn't there! She looked in the closet, but all of the dresses, cloaks, and garments inside were gone. The glass in the balcony doors were all smashed to pieces and on the Princess's desk was a note. Mildred nervously picked it up. It read:

" _To whom it may concern,_

 _By the time you read this, I will be long gone. And don't bother to look for me, I'll probably be out at sea soon and just you try to catch me if you can._

 _Signed, Kimmy A_ "

Mildred's eyes widened in terror before she ran over to a wall and pulled a velvet rope, which caused a mighty bell to ring throughout the castle. Suddenly every member of the castle staff, including the royal guard, were rushing about saying 'The Princess is missing! The Princess is missing!' over and over again. This news quickly reached the King, who was horrified.

"How could my niece be gone?!" He demanded, pounding his fit on the table.

"I'm not sure, Your Majesty. But don't worry, we will find her." Commander Charles Aaron said reassuringly; the note was held tightly in his hand.

"Well, what are you waiting for?! GO FIND HER!" The King yelled.

"But Your Majesty, the note said—" Mildred started.

"Silence, Mildred. I know what it says, but I don't care!" The King argued.

"Do not fret, sire." Aaron said confidently. "I will find her and return her home. Just leave everything to me"

"Thank you, Commander Aaron. Now go!"

And with that, Aaron rallied his troops in the castle courtyard.

"Listen up, gentlemen. The Princess Kimberley is missing and it is our duty to find her and bring her back, no matter the cost may be." Aaron declared. "Understand?"

"Yes, sir!" The guards yelled.

"And do we have what it takes to brave the Seven Seas?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Even when faced with mortal danger?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Or certain DEATH?"

"…Yes, sir."

"We WILL find the Princess, even if it costs us OUR OWN LIVES! UNDERSTAND?!"

"YES, SIR!"

"Prepare to make sail at once!"

Then as if on cue, all of the guards scattered about the courtyard to prepare themselves for their ocean voyage. Aaron looked at the note in his hand and smirked; he already had a pretty good idea of what might've gone through Kimberley's head… and who she may be pursuing.


End file.
